Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips - Michael Lebeda - iPro Real Estate

REALTORS: Settling post-catastrophe insurance claims

If you or your clients have sustained a major loss from Harvey, prepare for months of disruptionWhether it’s Hurricane Harvey, a flood, tornado, earthquake or fire, it can take years to resolve a major insurance claim and restore your property. Here is a must-have guide to follow if you have a major insurance loss on your home.In 1994, I sustained over $100,000 of damage to my house from the Northridge earthquake. My insurance company gave me

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Homeownership Remains the American Dream

Homeownership remains the number one accomplishment of achieving the American dream, according to the 2017 Hearth State of the American Dream Report, based on a survey of 2,000 Americans.The consumers surveyed said the most important elements of the American dream are:#1. Owning a home I love (19%)#2. Affording rent and living expenses without hardship (15%)#3. Starting a family (14%)#4. Finding a fulfilling career (14%)#5. Sending my child to

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Houston Agent Missing After Fleeing Harvey

Crystal McDowell told her boyfriend she was fleeing Houston ahead of Hurricane Harvey, but no one has heard from the real estate agent since Aug. 25. Police are still searching for her.The last time anyone had heard from McDowell—a sales associate with Virginia Malone & Associates in Baytown, Texas—was “about 24 hours before the worst of the catastrophic hurricane hit the Houston area,” CBS News reports.McDowell, 37, was scheduled

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How Driverless Cars Will Reshape Housing

Self-driving cars will have a big impact on real estate, writes Rick Palacios Jr., director of research for John Burns Real Estate Consulting, in a recent column. As consumers take their hands off the wheel, they may find different needs in housing over the next 10 to 20 years, which is when self-driving vehicles are expected to make their mark.For example, distant suburbs areas may grow in demand as driverless cars ease commutes.“Outlying driv

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Climate Change to Trigger Housing Crisis?

Coastal flooding, wildfires, and extreme weather events are posing an increasing risk to real estate. Last week’s Hurricane Harvey will likely go down as one of the costliest hurricanes in U.S. history with projections, so far, coming in at $10 billion to $20 billion in damages. Texas homeowners are left picking up the pieces from record levels of flooding.The threats of weather-related disasters continues to grow. Freddie Mac’s chief econo

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More Homeowners ‘Stuck’ In Starter Homes

Prior to the housing crisis, many consumers were in the mindset of buying a “starter home” to stay in for five or six years and then move on to a larger space as their family grew. But the idea of the starter home has become a fading memory.Homeowners don’t want to give up their ultralow mortgage interest rates that they have secured in recent years. They’re also finding fewer larger homes to move into. As a result, many are making the b

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Meet the 2017 Good Neighbor Finalists

Ten finalists have been chosen for REALTOR® Magazine’s 2017 Good Neighbor Awards, selfless real estate professionals who have cumulatively raised more than $48 million for a variety of charitable causes. Now in its 18th year, the Good Neighbor Awards recognize members of the National Association of REALTORS® who have donated their time and passion to improve and enrich the lives of the people in their communities.“The Good Neighbor Awards r

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Welcome to the Team Joseph Rodriguez out of the Tampa Bay area

About JoeI have a passion for helping people. Through my real estate business I will help YOU! Whether it's buying or selling, I can assist you. There's nothing like the feeling of homeownership! For me, the best part of working in real estate is helping others experience the excitement and joy that comes with finding and closing on the perfect home. If you are looking to buy or sell in and around the Tampa Bay area, I dedicate myself to making y

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MUSIC: Listen to this Song "The Music of the Night" Sung by Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli, OMRI, OMDSM (Italian pronunciation: [anˈdrɛːa boˈtʃɛlli]; born 22 September 1958) is an Italian classical crossover tenor, recording artist, and singer-songwriter. Born with poor eyesight, Bocelli became permanently blind at the age of 12, following a football accident.Bocelli has recorded fifteen solo studio albums, of both pop and classical music, three greatest hits albums, and nine complete operas, selling

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5 Home Maintenance Tips for Fall

You may be able to shave up to 30 percent off your energy bills this fall by conducting appropriate preparation measures on your home. For example, stripping and caulking the home to prevent drafts could be a major money saver, according to WIN Home Inspection.WIN President Steve Wadlington offers the following five tips to share with your clients on how to clean and update the home to get it cold weather-ready: Check the roof. Sun exposure can

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